Pin detector for base feeding mechanism



Aug. 9, 1932. l= MEYER 1,871,382

PIN DETECTOR FOR BASE FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 3l. 1929 3, Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR BY PETEH'ME i?.

ATTORNEY 39 F. MEYER vmg PLN DETECTOR FOR BASE FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 5l, 1929 5 SheeLS-Sheet 3 INVENTOR BY PETE/7 MEV ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 9, 1932 PETER Panv, A. CORPORATION on PENNSYLVANIA Y rrjn STATES PATEN Fics 7 MEYER, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNO T WESTING-HOUSE PIN DETCTOR VVFOR BASE FEEDING MECHANISM Application led August 31, 1929. Serial No. 389,841.

This invention relates to mechanism for feeding bases for radio tubes or the like which include a plurality of metallic contact pins,

Y and to mechanism for preventing the application of an improper ,number ofpins to bases. v v

In the manufactureof electrical devices, such for example as radio tubesorother similar vacuum devices comprising a bulb, itis 1G necessary Vto provide the bulbjwith a base havinga plurality of metallic contact elements or pins extending "from theV bottom wall thereof. .f

Usually the bases are of cup shape and com oosed of insulating material such as a condensite product. -These bases" areypro'- duced a moldingoperation and provided with` apertures in the bottom wall thereof. The bas-es are then appliedto a machine which automatically secures, by .riveting or otherwise, a plurality of metallic Contact `pinsin the aperturesv provided in the bottom wall of the base. The pins arearranged in al given spaced relation, .perpendicular to` and extending externallyuof the said bottom hase wall. A machine for performing what is termed a riveting or staking-in vo eration forrsecuring the pins to a base is siown more clearly in copending application, Serial No. `362,110 filed May VVl0, 1929 and. assigned to the same Y assignee as is'the present invention. d

In the said copending application a rotary or disk conveyor is provided to carry abase progressively in operative relation to mechanisms which-automatically position Contact contact pins in the sets of apertures provided in the conveyor. Thecontact pin'swhen pov, sitioned in the apertures are so arrangedthat ends thereof extend upwardly and as the conveyor moves, each set of upwardly extending pins is positioned adjacent to thejbase feeding mechanism. This base feeding mechanism operates to move bases over a set, of

LAMP coivri positioned pins and to insert the extending ends of the pins Vinto the apertures provided 1n the bottom walls of the bases. After the bases have been properly positioned with the pin ends extending through the apertures v therein, the bases and pins are moved into v operative relationv with mechanism which automatically rivets-or upsets the extending J ends of the pins thus securing them to the walls of the bases. .Y

' It has been found, however, thatwhen yfeedf ing pins to theapertures in the conveyor the pin feeding mechanism may fail to fill allv the apertures 'in which case a base wouldbe finished by'having an improper number of pinsY secured to the bottom wall thereof.y

Itgijs essential'ina machine of the present character to Obtain high speed operation,"

and `in the event that Van improper number of pins are positioned. these pins and a base making it necessary to subsequentlycarefully inspect theiinished bases and discard any having an improper number ofl pins secured thereto.

spoction results `in an increased cost byreason of a loss of time and thatA bases having jthereon will be carriedthrough the machine i n jlt willbe appreciated thatl any added ins an improper number of pins thereinV are useless and considerable loss 4ofvrnaterial results.

provide mechanism for automatically positioning a .base 1n a given positionon a conveyor.

,Y An object of the present invention is to i' v Another'object ofthe invention is to move Y a base through aA given Apath and to vadjust the baseduring pins. f

movement to receive contact Another object of the presentiinventi'on is to provide mechanism wherein the application of Va 'base to an improper number oflcontact pins in a base wall is avoided.

' ,v Another object of the invention istoprovide automatic mechanism operatingin conjunction with means for ,feeding bases wherebysaid feedingmeans is controlled by mechanism-including contact membersin'pothe number of pins positioned for application to said base.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description together with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is aplan -view showing a portion of a base feeding-meclianism in operative Vrelation to mechanism for detecting an improper number of positioned pins. Y

Figj2 is' a side elevational view partly/in mechanism.

Fig. 3 is anenlarged viewtaken on line III-JH in Fig. 2.

Fig. l Fig. 5 isa view taken on line in Fig. 4.

. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary vv. iew' showing sition over'pins disposed on a conveyor.

- `relative positionsof the variouselements and Fig. 9 is a view similar to F ig. 8v but showing. the contact members indifferent posit1 o.11s,and `1 f' -l f f V` LFigjl is a wiringdiagram showing the vtheir connectionv with electricalcircuit 'A practicaliembodiment ofthe invention may include apin detector mechanism Aand a base Afeed mechanism B, disposed 'adjacent to the path ofmovementfof the periphery 'of a rotary conveyor 1 0..

y'The conveyor 10 lmaybe of circular form and .rotatable intermittently by any. suitable 'f mechanism (not shownjandmay'be provided with aplurality of setsllof recesses or l pockets y12.` Each of the sets may include 4 U of recesses may be/ provided depending upon recesses, although. a greater or lessernumber is tofbe provided. Y

'The sets'of recesses areso spaced that'the conveyor will position a set adjacent to the pin detector mechanism A' and another .set ad' jacent to the base feed mechanism B. l/Vhen the sets of recesses. 12 *reachl themechanism A and B they will be filled with contact pins 14 so positioned that endsthereof extend up- Thepinfdetectorj mechanism A operates in .conjunction with thebase feeding mechanism The cain 42 is secured to a nbearings 44 and 45.

of'recesses 12 containing an improper number of pins is disposed over a plurality of as to be positioned in line with the recesses 12 Which extend through Athe conveyor' and provide passages into which air jets froml the 4orifices pass and blow out the contact pins. .The blowing operation mayY be .continuous -and if a'basevhavingthe proper number of section showing base 4feed and pin detector i pins therein is moved overthe orifices 18 the .baSefwll be engaged by a stop-bar 21 which prevents the base and pins from being dis- Y `lodged. v Fig. 4 is a view taken online IV-eIV vin Although the detector mechanism operates to detectthe numberof pins on theconveyor priortothe operation ofthe base feeding mechanism such operation of the pin detector-mechanismis performed Ain conjunction with the base feed mechanism and the latter will, therefore, be describedfirst.

The said'base .feeding mechanism may include an inclined guide'or chute 22 oftubular form and so proportioned as to provide a sliding iit to bases 15 Vwhich may be fedv tothe `chute'by hand. YAs'ithe bases are fed Nto an openendv 23 Aof the'chute" the side or bayonet pins 24 of the bases are guided into a slotv 25 sothatas the bases move by gravity down a vertical fportion 26 Vof the chute they 'will be rotated r`or* adjusted to such positionl so ythat thecontactpins of each base willhavethe same'relatiye position-with resp'ect'to the recessesf12 ywhichcontain contact pins with `their ends projecting, the Contact pins being fedftofbases by suitable pinfeeding mecha-` above mentioned but not shown. 'The' pin feedingmechanism 1s shown generally in the 'abovementioned copending ap-V 3'" plication and Vwill!befinade the subject "of a separate application. Y

When the base lhas reached the lower end of'- the vertical'portion'26'of thechutev 22 it will be inposition to'jbe moved laterally ffor 35 the alignment of its' apertures withthe contact pins extending fromthe recessesintheV conveyor 10.

- Meansv for laterally moving or adj ust-ing the basesmay'comprise a. slideA member 27 (see il Fig's and 4) comprising aplate 28 movable between'guides 29 and 31,' the plate 28 being retained by Ywasher-gibs 32. Oneend ofthe plateV 28 isi provided-with a bearing bracket 33 in which one end'ofa link '34 ispivoted,

the 'oppositejend ofthe said link is pivotally attached y'at 135 with one' endV of a rocker .arm`

36.pivoted at "37 in.k a. bearing or hanger 38. rI "he opposite end of the arm 36 is provided with a roller 39 constituting a cam follower disposedin acam slot 41 ofabarrel cam 42. shaft' 43 journaled The shaft`43'is provided with agear wheel 46 dSPQSBd mesh withfagearnwheel 47 a base.

which latter gearV wheelV may be connected with any suitable source of power, as for eX- ample, a motor (not shown).

When a base travels down the vertical guide 26 and the slide plate 28 has moved to its position in the direction of the arrow .X, the base will be readyto pass into means provided at the forward end of the slide plate for moving the base to position over a sety of contact pins on the conveyor 10.

Y The forward end of the slide plate is, therefore, provided with base receiving means comprising an arcuate portion 48 (see Fig 6) having a notch 49 to receive a bayonet pin24 of For the purpose of tensionally retaining a base in the space'provided by the arcuated surface 478 a tension finger l is provided. This inger is formed with a surface 52 so as to provide a continuation of the arcuate portion 48 and thus engage the cylindrical wall of a base. The finger 51 is pivotally Vmounted on a pin 53 `and a helical spring 54 i yhaving one end incontact with a pin 55 eX- tending from the slide plate 28 and the opposite end securedy to the member 5l, holds the latter against a stop pin 56 so that thetension member is normally actuated to retain a base in position at the end ofthe slide plate 28.

Nhen the slide plate 28 is moved toits :forward position by a rotation of the cam 42 Vthe base retained bythe tension member 51 is disposed with the apertures thereof in alignment with the positioned pins on the conveyor- 10. A plunger then moves downwardly forcing the base from its position at the end of the slide-plate 28 and to position on the conveyor at which time the extending ends of the pins enter the apertures in the bottomlof the base and extend slightly therethrough ready to-be secured by a riveting operation.

" Theplunger may then be lifted to clear the base Vas the slide-plate 28, by a'movement of the cam 42, is retracted. Inasmuch'asthe' base is held by reason ofthe .disposition of the contact pins inthe apertures thereof a backward movement of the slide-plate will cause the tension member to slip over the side of the base as the slide-plate returns to its retracted position.

It will movement of the slide-plate oney base is revmovedfrom the guide or chute 26 and whenv the slide-plate isinits forward 4position it f l shaft 43. As shown the shaft` 43 is provided serves as a stop to prevent the downward" movement of bases inthe chute. A reverse movement of the slide-plate will againposition the base receiving means in position to receive a base for movement over another set of positioned pins.A The plunger 57 which acts to move a base from the slide-platemay be actuated through motion transmitted from with a cam 58 which actuates aV yoke 59 at the lower end'of a lifter rod 61 which lifter rod is movable in guide bearings 62 and 63.

be noted thatlwith each forward' The yoke 59 may be provided'rwithupper and lower contact rollers 64 and 65 respectively7 so that a rotation o-f the shaft 43 will cause the cam 58 to reciprocate the lifter rod 6l. 3

The plunger 57 is attached-to the lifter rod 6l by means of an arm 60. One end of the arm 60 may be clamped to the lifter rod and the opposite end may be integral with a housing or guide bearing 60 for the plunger 57. The lifter-rod 6l is also provided'with a carrier armwhich reciprocates pairs of plungers 67 and 68.' Theseplungers operate to insert contact'pinsinto the recesses 12 in the'conveyor.

The mechanism for feeding pins is indicated at'69 and 7l. No further description Vof the pin feeding mechanism isgiven, however, inasmuch as the present invention is directed to the Vapplication of a base over positioned members irrespective of the mechanismV brings the plungerfdown to press al baseY o upon the contact pins the action is semi.- positive by reason of the-spring'72 The end of the plunger 57 is provided" with areduced portion7 6 so lpositioned as to enter a bas-e and is provided with a flange 77 which engages the upper-edge of the base to force it downwardly and cause the contact pins to enter the provided apertures.

TheV foregoing `descriptionsets forth means for guidi-ng bases to predetermined positions and means for advancing the bases to-position over setsv of contact pins in combination vwith means for moving the bases soas todispose the Contact pins in the aperturesjprovided in the base walls.V 7

As above pointed out it may happen that a set of pin receivingre'cesses may contain only 3 or a lesser number of pins thanrequired. The present invention therefore also includes mechanism Vwhereby an improper number of pins maybe 'detected and the feeding of a base prevented thus avoiding` may comprise a stop-fingerk 78 (seeFigs. l Y

and "3) .pivoted at 79 ina bearing 81 integral with the lower end of the chute 22. The

'stop finger 78 is so positioned that an end 82 thereof will enter aV slot 83 adjacentto theV lower end of the vertical portion 26V ofthe chute 22 Vand engage a base about tovpass from the chute and hold-'the same in position against downward movement;`

The stop finger 7 8 is arranged to normall eng-'age the' lowermostbase and 1s actuatef torelease the base only when the set of retectorA station, contains the proper number of pins and is ready to be moved to position t'or thea application of a base and iirecesses contain an improper number of pins no base will be applied thereto when suchV pinsgreach what may'betermed the base feeding station. f The stop finger 78 is provided with a projection 84 having a pivot 85 disposed in a slot at one end oit .a rockerarm 86,' the opposite end ,off Vwhich is pivotedat 87 to a stationary portion of theniachine.

"viril i 86 to actuate the The arm 86'isV provided with a slot 88 intermediate the'pivoted points 85 and 87 and one. end of 'a' push-rod '89 is provided 'with a pin 91 disposed in the slot 88. The pushrod 89 is connected with an armature 9201i an electro-magnet `or solenoid 93. Thepivotal connection .between thelarm'cSG and the" projection 841 issuchas to provide a toggle jointy 90` which when straightened remains 1 locked to hold the linger 78 in Contact with a -ffi box 9.7 (see Figs; 8, 9 and 10) having, inthe present construction, four detector contacts A98, 99, 101 and 102. i lThese contactsare carried ina 'head 103 .movable in the ,boX97.` The lower ends of if@ .the contacts extend 'through the lower wall of theboX'which box is so positioned-as to be engaged by a presser member 104 V.vhich member lmaybe integral Ywith-.and extend troni-the guidebearing 60- so that with each l downward movement or the plunger 5 7the presser member will engage :a projection 105 secured to and extending fromk the vhead1-:103. 1 The Contact members', 98, 99,101 and 102 are providedv with langes 106 and helical s rin s 107 contactinwithga ortion of the P g s P Y head 103 and'lthe flanges 106normalfly hold the contact members in theirlower positions while springs 108 disposed between the head and the lower wall of the box Y97A normally i 4Urge the headto an upper position, On the upper portion -otfthe 'head 103 and adjacent lto each ofthe contact `members is a station"- ary., conductor 1109'and a spring conductor that when 'a contact member movesupwardlrlowermost base from further movement.

Mechanism VVconstituting the last 111.1 The spring conductor is arranged so' ly the said .spring conductor will be engaged and moved into Contact with the stationary conductor 109. `cesses moved to what may be termed thede- As shown in thevdiagram in 10 the stationary conductorsand the resilient conductorsareconnected 1n series by electrical connections 112, 113,114, 115 and 116. The connection 112 leads lto `a battery or other sourceof electrical-energy 117 which is oonnected to one end'of a coil 11,8 ofthe solenoid 93. 'The opposite endv of thecoil l118 connects with conductor 113. Thev armature 92 of the solenoid is,.as jabove described, connected with Vpush rod 89.-

Asabove described when theslide-plate 28 moves forward the contact pin 96 engages thefa-rm 941,and thestop 'finger 78 vholds the will be understood that the slide-plate 28 has already moved a base-to position over i'our properly positioned :pins and that the lowermost baseabove referredto will be then held 'from 'further movement by the vslide-plate.

JustV pri-or to a return movement of' the slide-plate 28 thel cam 58 operates to move the plunger 57 into engagement with the base Itr and as the vslide -plate28 lbegins yits return movement the plunger? moves downwardly; As-the plu-nger moves, the Contact boX 97 is also given adownward movement by reason of an eng-agement between the memberlOe and theprojection so that the next set 4ot pins in .a set of apertures indicated'in Figz by the :reference numeral 119 will be en'- gaged by the detector conduotors'98, 99, l101 'and102..-j 'E 1f it happens, 'as shown inset of apertures 119,"that oney pin Ais missing then one of the pin ldetector contacts .fwill fail to. close the circuit andno energy V,will 'flow lthrough theY solenoid -193 thus leaving the stop-ffinger 78,

by `4reason of the toggle joint 90., in position to prevent a basefrom dropping Abetween the arcuatesuracelS and the tensioniringer 52 as theslideplate 28 is retracted.- Thus the improper number of pins will pass with'ont Y 'having a bds@ epp'ldf thereto and will be jets hereinbefore r ejected by means ofthe air` described. AVIf the proper nunfiberA ot pins are disposed in the :recessesfa :downward movement of the boX'97will l'cause the detector contacts to be moved and completely'close the circuit. At

tion shownlindotted lines, thus `permitting :this point `in the operation of the machine the Y slidee'p'late 28 will be :on'its return movement andthe contact pin 96 will loe inthe posi-` the solenoid to operate and retract the push Y rodf89 causing the stop linger 7 8'to move 'from kcontact withthe base and take the position as indicatedin dotted lines. Y

When a complete setf offcontact pins is moved to position adjacent to the Vbase feed- Y ing mechanism -a 'base will be ted which base with pins therein may be moved to Yanother position for the subsequent operation of selow shell like articles such as radio tube bases.V

and so adjust the bases as to position them to receive .the ends of contact pins in suitably provided apertures and that furthermore 1 the mechanism operates in conjunction with the base feeding mechanism whereby the operation of the said mechanism is determined by a given number of positioned pins.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown and described herein it is to be understood that modications may be made therein Without departing from the spirit and scopeof the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

That is claimed is:

l. A machine for applying contact pins to bases comprising a support fora pin, base 'feeding mechanism electrically operated means controlling said feeding means, and means operable upon engagement With a positioned pin for eecting an actuation of said electrically operated means to actuate said base feeding mechanism.

2. A machine for applying radio bases to positioned contact pins comprising means for supporting a plurality of pins, `base feeding mechanism, mechanism controlling the operation of said base feeding mechanism, and means engageable with positioned pins for actuating said last mentioned mechanism to cause an operation of said base feeding mechanism.

3. A machine for applying contact pins to bases comprising, base feeding mechanism, an electrical circuit, electrically operable mechanism controlling said base feeding mechanism, contact members lfor closing said circuit to actuate said electrically operable mechanism, and means for moving said contact members for engagement with positioned pins to close said circuit and effect an operation of said base feeding mechanism.

4. A machine for applying contact pins to bases comprising, base feeding mechanism, an electrical circuit, a solenoid in said circuit and having a movable armature, means on said armature for preventing an actuation of said feeding mechanism in the absence of a flow of current through said solenoid, a plurality of contacts for closing said circuit, and means for engaging said contacts with said positioned pins to cause a current flow and actuate -said armature for the ac- ,tuation of said base feeding mechanism.

5. In combination abase feeding mechanism, electrically controlled means for actuating said mechanism, an electrical circuit .for said means, a support for a group of .pins to be positioned in operative relation to saidbase feeding mechanisms, a Contact .device in said circuit operable to cause a flow of current to actuate said` base feeding ymechanisms When engaged by a. given number of contact pins, and means for actuating said device to engage said pins.

6. In combination a base feeding mechanism, a normally open electrical circuit, electrically operable `means in said circuit` for operating said mechanism, means for supporting a group of pins to be applied to a base, a contactdevice in, said circuit for controlling said first mentioned means, a plurality of contacts arranged to closesaid circuit vvhen engaged by predetermined number of pins, and means fo-r moving said device t'o engage said pins.V v

7. In combination, a base` feeding mechanism, anelectrical circuit, means for actuatingsaid mechanism upon a flow of electrical energy in said circuit, means for supporting a pin to be applied to a base, and means opera-ble upon engagement With said pin for causing a flow of electrical energy in said circuit.

8. In combination, a base feeding mechanism, an electrical circuit, means for actuating said mechanism upona How of electrical energy in said circuit, means for supporting a given number of pins to be applied to a base, and means operable upon engagement With a given number of said pins for causing a flow of electrical energy in said circuit. l 9. In combination, a base feeding mechanism, an electrical circuit, a solenoid in `said circuit, means operable upon a movement of the armature of saidv solenoid for rendering said base feeding mechanism inoperative, means for supporting a pin to be applied to a base, and means operable'upon engagement With said'pin for causing a flow of electrical 'energy in said circuit to cause a movement of said armature.

l0. A machine of the class described comprising means for holding a base having a given number of apertures to receive contact pins, means for supporting a given number of pins, base feeding means, and means controlled by the supported pins for actuating said base feeding means.

11. A machine for adjust-ing and delivering bases comprising gravity means for feeding a base to agiven position, means for adjusting a base during its travel in saidY gravity means, base delivering means, means for actuating said delivery means to move an adjusted base to a given position, and means for removing a base from said delivery means. j

In testimony Whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 29th day of August, 1929.

PETER MEYER. 

